Can I use a different type of frosting for the Christmas Tree Cupcakes with Sprinkles Recipe?

Absolutely! While green buttercream is classic for the Christmas tree look, you can experiment with cream cheese frosting or even whipped ganache tinted green to suit your taste.

What if I don’t have a piping bag or star tip?

No worries at all! You can use a sturdy plastic sandwich bag, snip a small corner off, and pipe the frosting that way. It takes just a little extra care, but you’ll still get lovely swirls for your Christmas trees.

Can I make the cupcakes a day ahead?

Definitely—baking cupcakes a day in advance works well. Just keep them in an airtight container at room temperature. Add the frosting and decorations the day you plan to serve to keep everything fresh and vibrant.

How do I prevent sprinkles from sinking into the frosting?

You want to pipe your frosting firm enough so it holds shape; let it set for a few minutes before adding sprinkles on top. Also, sprinkle gently and immediately after piping for the best effect. If frosting is too soft, sprinkles may sink in.

Christmas Tree Cupcakes with Sprinkles

Description

Festive Christmas Tree Cupcakes featuring moist vanilla cake topped with green buttercream frosting piped to resemble a Christmas tree, decorated with colorful sprinkles and Twizzler candy for a fun holiday treat.

Ingredients

Scale

Cake Ingredients

2 cups cake flour
¼ tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
½ cup salted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup milk
3 large eggs
¼ tablespoon vanilla extract

Decorations

16 oz. green buttercream frosting
¼ cup sequin-style rainbow sprinkles
2-3 Twizzler Pull 'n' Peel Candy, peeled into strings
Star shaped sprinkles
Confectioners sugar, optional

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Instructions

Preheat the Oven: Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners and set aside.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine cake flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
Cream Butter and Sugar: In a medium bowl, cream together softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition.
Add Wet Ingredients: Add milk and vanilla extract to the butter mixture and whisk until fully combined.
Combine Batter: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until smooth and fully incorporated.
Fill Cupcake Liners: Spoon the batter into the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about ⅔ full.
Bake Cupcakes: Bake in the preheated oven for 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool Cupcakes: Remove cupcakes from oven and allow them to cool completely before decorating.
Pipe Frosting: Fill a piping bag fitted with an open star tip with green buttercream. Starting from the outside edge, pipe a swirl moving inward in overlapping layers to form a Christmas tree shape, finishing with a tip at the top.
Add Decorations: Wrap Twizzler candy strings around the base of the cupcake to create a tree skirt. Sprinkle rainbow sequins and place a star-shaped sprinkle on top. Optionally dust with confectioners sugar to mimic snow.

Notes

If you don't have a piping bag, use a ziplock bag with a corner cut off as an alternative.
Ensure cupcakes are completely cooled before frosting to prevent melting.
You can substitute milk with any plant-based milk for a dairy-free version, but results may vary.
Use salted butter for the best flavor balance, but unsalted can be used with a pinch of salt added.
Store decorated cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for longer freshness.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cupcake
Calories: 350 kcal
Sugar: 28 g
Sodium: 180 mg
Fat: 18 g
Saturated Fat: 10 g
Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 45 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 4 g
Cholesterol: 65 mg